Rear view mirror and radio antenna assembly



y 27, 1958 R. DE VIRGILHS 2,836,818

REAR VIEW MIRROR AND RADIO ANTENNA ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 27, 1955 INVENTOR. Ric/Mk0 DEV/86141.5,

ATToRMEr United rates Patent REAR VIEW MIRROR AND RADIO ANTENNA ASSEMBLY Richard De Virgilis, Detroit, Mich.

Application December 27, 1955, Serial No. 555,525

4 Claims. (Cl. 343720) My improvement pertains to the above-named assembly for use in automobiles. More specifically, my improvement pertains to a combination of a bracket'which may be mounted upon the body of an automobile, 9. casing pivotally supported by the bracket, which casing includes a. frame, a circular rear-view mirror in the frame, and a spirally-coiled radio antenna within the casing and in a parallel relation to the mirror.

Additionally, the casing is provided with a translucent rim about the mirror and contains electrically-operated means for illumination of the rim.

The object of the invention is to eliminate the need of a conventional whip-type antenna and to utilize the casing of the rear-view mirror for the purpose of concealing therein a flexible antenna comprising a spirallywound, fiat coil of wire.

I shall now describe my improvement with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the rear-view mirror displayed in one side of a circular casing as mounted upon a bracket, the mirror including a radio antenna within said casing;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the casing and the elements contained therein, in a vertical plane through the axis of the casing;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The assembly includes a bracket having a base and an arm 11 disposed at right angle thereto and terminating with a tranversely-disposed bulbous member 12 which contains a socket 13 for reception of a short tubular member 14 supporting a casing generally identified by numeral15.

The arm of the bracket is provided with an internal duct 16 which at the lower end is expanded radially, as shown at 17, for reception of a threaded bushing 18.

The casing is circular in shape and includes a concave metal shell 19 which, in the center, is provided with a circular aperture 20, the rim portion 21 of the shell embracing an annular frame 22 which is made of a translucent plastic. The plastic may be of red color to sup plement, at night, the red lights at the rear of the automobile. It is this plastic frame which encircles the mirror proper, comprising a silver-coated glass plate 23 which in the course of this specification will be called the mirror.

Fitting into the circular aperture in the shell 19, from inside, is a plastic member 24 which has the shape of a frusto-cone, the base portion of the cone being provided with a radially-expanded shoulder 25 for abutment against the inner surface of the shell about said aperture 20. The cone 24 contains an axial bore 26, and disposed therein is a bolt-like member 27 terminating with a cone tip 28 which projects from the narrow end of the cone 24. Half of the length of the bolt, remote from the tip 28, is threaded for reception of a plurality of nuts. One of them, 29, bears against the base of the frusto cone 24 to prevent displacement of the bolt from the bore of said cone.

Adjoining said nut 29 is a pair of axially-alined nuts 30, and clamped therebetween is an eyelet 31 forming a part of a metal clamp 32 embracing the insulating jacket 33 of a wire 34 to which I shall refer again.

Axially mounted upon the same bolt is a. dielectric disk 35 having a number of radial slots 36, the disk serving as a backing for an electrically-insulated metal wire which is wound spirally into a flat coil 37. The coil is cemented or otherwise secured against one face of the disk, as best shown in Fig. 3. One end, 38, of the wire is connected to a metal eyelet 39, the eyelet being clamped between a nut 30 and the hub portion of the disk 35.

On the side facing the mirror 23, the disk carries a rubber ring 41 in a coaxial relation therewith, the ring serving as a spacer between the coil and said mirror.

In order to secure the disk in its place on the bolt, and to cause the disk to keep the wire 38 in contact with the adjoining nut 39, another nut, 42, is used for the purpose, the nut being disposed between the disk and the mirror 23.

In order to illuminate the plastic annular frame 22 from within the casing, the latter contains a light bulb 43 threaded into a socket 44 which, in turn, is held within a tubular curl 45 at the end of a metal strip 46. The strip is secured by a nut 47 to one end of the threaded end of the above-mentioned member 14, and is grounded by contact therewith, as shown at A wire 48 from one terminal of the bulb is led into the duct 16 Within the bracket arm 11 through said member 14. Wire 34 from the coil 37 is similarly led out of the casing 15 through the same member 14 and the duct is in the bracket arm 11 for connection, within the automobile, to a radio apparatus.

A Washer 49 and a nut 50 are provided as a means of securing the base 19 of the bracket to the body of the automobile, from within, in such a manner that the wall of the body of the automobile will be clamped between the base of the bracket and the nut 50 fitting over the threaded bushing 18.

When the bracket is secured to the body of the automobile, the casing may be swivelled with the tubular member 14 which fits into the socket 13 for the best viewing position, as desired by the driver of the automobile. As the wire leading from the light bulb leads to the storage battery within the automobile, it may be switched on whenever desired by the driver, in which case the plastic frame would assume a red glow about the mirror and would be visible to the rear of the automobile. The metal tip 28 projecting from the casing forwardly with relation to the automobile would serve as a pick-up memher for the radio antenna forming a part thereof.

It will be understood that the wire leading to the light bulb within the casing of the mirror may be provided with a suitable switch, and that some changes may be made in the arrangement or shape of the parts of the assembly described herein and that such changes may be made without departing from the inventive concept disclosed herein.

What I, therefore, wish to claim is as follows:

1. An assembly including a casing consisting of a circular concave shell having a central aperture, a cone shaped member of dielectric material fitting into said aperture, the member being provided with an annular frame disposed within and secured to the peripheral portion of the shell in co-axial relation thereto, a metal bolt axially disposed within the casing and extending outwardly through the bore in said member of dielectric material, a

disk of dielectric material axially mounted upon said bolt, 21 flat, spirally wound coil of insulated wire mounted on said disk inparallel relation thereto one end of the wire being attached to said bolt, the' other end of the bracket at one afiixed to the casing, the other end of the bracket being adapted to be mounted upon the body of an. automobile, the bracket containing a duct throughout its length a metal bolt disposed axially within the. casing and projecting outwardly thereof, a flat spirally' wound coil of insulated wire, axially mountedfupon said bolt in parallel relation to said sheet member, one end of the wire being attached to the bolt, the other end of the wire extending from the casing and through the said duct in the bracket for connection to a radio apparatus within the automobile.

3. In combination, a circular casing open on one side and having a transverse wall at the other side, the wall being provided with an aperture at its center a coneshaped member of dielectric material fitted into said aperture, the member being provided with an axial bore, the tapered end of the cone extending outwardly or the casing in an axial relation thereto, an annular frame of translucent dielectric material secured within the peripheral portion of the casing at its open side, a flat sheet member held within said frame, a bracket affixed to the casing for support thereof, the bracket being hollow and opening at one 'end into the casing, the other end of the bracket being adapted to be mounted upon the body of an automobile, a flat substantially parallel relation to the mirror, a spirally wound flat coil 'of insulated wire mounted upon said circular member parallel thereto, a pliable ring of dielectric material mounted, a on the coil in coaxial relation thereto, the ring serving as a spacer between the sheet member and the coil, one

, end of the wire of the. coil extending from the casing through the same hollow bracket to a'radio apparatus Within the automobile, the other end of the Wire being afiixed to the bolt which forms the terminal portion of the antenna. t 4

4. An assembly consisting of a hollow easing open on one side and closed at the other side, but provided with an aperture in its center, a mirror framed by intermediate means in the open side of the casing, a bolt axially disposed Within the casing and extending therefrom out-t wardly through said aperture, insulating means enclosing saidbolt along the portion passing through said aperture,

a spirally wound, fiat coil of insulated wire disposed within the casing, parallel to the mirror and supported. by rigid means mounted on said bolt, bracket means supporting the casing and adapted to be mounted upon the body of an automobile, one end of the wire being 7 connected to the bolt, the other end of the wire leading, to a radio apparatus Within said automobile.-

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,792,964

Brooks Feb. 17, 1931 2,161,777 'SarneS June 6,1939 2,457,639 Brooks Dec.--28,'1948 2,461,315 De Virgilis Feb. 8, 1949 2,586,643 Garlow Feb. 19, 1952 2,706,931

Morgenstern Apr. 26, 1 955 circularmember of 7V dielectric material axially mounted upon said bolt in a 

